Filter results by source database — Scripture Commentary, Theology, Mike Winger, or Pulpit. Click a tab to narrow to one database.

...more
All (15) Scripture Commentary (2) Mike Winger (13)
Scripture Commentary article 2021-04-05

The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus

Gary R. Habermas and Michael R. Licona — Kindle highlights from 'The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus'. 110 highlights.

Colossians 2:9 Phil 3:21 Christology Apologetics Resurrection
Scripture Commentary tweet 2023-09-25

@OutOfThePocket Surely he knows of Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, Suetonius, Thallus, Mara Bar Serapion, Lucian of Samosata, Josephus, and later apologists like Justin Martyr and Athenagoras? Also, regardless of Roman and Greek external sources, he int...

@OutOfThePocket Surely he knows of Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, Suetonius, Thallus, Mara Bar Serapion, Lucian of Samosata, Josephus, and later apologists like Justin Martyr and Athenagoras? Also, rega

question
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Tacitus (Annals, 109 AD) as non-Christian confirmation of early Christian persecution, crucifixion of Christ under Pontius Pilate, and the movement's origin in Judea

Mike quotes Tacitus as an external, non-Christian source confirming early persecution

crucifixion of Jesus Pontius Pilate early Christian persecution
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Argument that Roman cultural attitudes toward Christians in 50-year span (first to early second century) remained consistent, so early second-century sources reflect first-century reality

Responding to the objection that 109/112 AD sources are too late to apply to the apostolic period

historical methodology early Christian persecution Roman imperial religion
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

General reliability of the Gospels and Acts as a fourth argument

Winger and McLatchie introduce the general historical reliability of the Gospels and Acts as an additional, related argument.

methodological naturalism Jonathan McLatchie historicity of the Gospels
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Non-Christian sources for Jesus: Josephus, Tacitus, and Lucian of Samosata all mention Jesus

Overview of non-Christian historical sources for Jesus

Josephus Tacitus historicity of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Tacitus places Jesus's execution under Tiberius Caesar while Pontius Pilate was procurator; both Tacitus and Lucian are hostile to Christianity

Significance of hostile sources attesting to Jesus

criterion of embarrassment Pontius Pilate Tacitus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Tacitus spells "Christos" correctly even while initially writing "Chrestus" — the full passage explicitly identifies Christ as executed under Pontius Pilate under Tiberius

Addressing the "different group" objection to Tacitus

Pontius Pilate Tacitus historicity of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Richard Carrier's claim that all extra-biblical sources simply copy Gospel accounts is refuted by Tacitus's late date and hostile stance

Refuting Carrier's hypothesis that non-Christian sources merely echo the Gospels

Richard Carrier Tacitus Jesus mythicism
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

The dying and rising gods parallel argument fails because Paul and non-Christian sources still have to be explained independently of the Gospels

Initial response to the Greco-Roman dying/rising gods parallel argument

Paul Jesus mythicism historicity of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Much ancient literature is lost: two-thirds of Tacitus's Histories, 12 of Plutarch's 60 biographies — including his life of Caesar Augustus

Contextualizing the argument from silence by noting the loss of ancient literature

argument from silence Plutarch Papias
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Audience Q: Why doesn't anyone reference Tacitus on Christian persecution until the 4th century? — Multiple 1st-century sources confirm early persecution of Christians

Audience question from "Godless Engineer" about Christian persecution attestation

Acts Hebrews Paul Peter Acts
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

There is extra-biblical evidence (possibly Tacitus) for the darkness at the crucifixion

Question from Lior about extra-biblical evidence for the earthquake and darkness at the crucifixion

Matthew 27:45 Matthew 27:51 historical reliability crucifixion extra-biblical evidence
Mike Winger idea 2020-05-06

Evidence for early Christian persecution: (1) Multiple attestation across the entire NT — Gospels, Acts, Hebrews, James, 1 John, Peter, Revelation all attest to Christians paying a price for faith. (2) Earliest church fathers (Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp) confirm the theme. (3) Non-Christian sources (Tacitus, Suetonius) confirm persecution under Nero.

Evidence for early persecution — multiple independent sources

multiple attestation Tacitus Clement of Rome
Mike Winger idea 2020-05-06

McDowell responds to Moss's dismissal of Nero persecution: (1) 50-year gap doesn't warrant dismissal — McDowell's father remembers Nixon 50 years ago. (2) Suetonius provides additional support she doesn't cite. (3) Her claim that "Christian" wasn't used until end of first century is false — Acts records the term at Antioch c.47 AD. (4) Tacitus says "great multitude" — not a handful. Nero needed a sufficiently large scapegoat group.

Responding to Moss on Nero — four rebuttals

Acts 11:26 Tacitus Candida Moss Suetonius